Cops in the fast lane
by
The video begins around the 188 mile marker near the Cheatham County / Davidson County line.
The video shows a Murfreesboro police car traveling approximately 91 miles an hour in a 70 mile an hour zone.
The video documents the officer driving for the next 18 miles, where the vehicle’s speed stays mostly between 86 to 91 miles an hour.
At no time does the Murfreesboro Police car put on lights or sirens.
At no point does it appear that the officer is responding to an emergency situation.
At one point, around Old Hickory Blvd, the Murfreesboro police car comes up on the bumper of another motorist in the fast lane.
The video shows an undercover metro car pull directly behind the Murfreesboro police car.
The video shows three cars in a row. The motorist is followed closely by the Murfreesboro police car which is followed closely by the Metro Unit - three cars all in the far left lane, speeding forward like NASCAR racers drafting one another.
Once the three vehicles pass an 18 wheeler in the lane next to them, the Metro Undercover unit pulls to the right, activates blue lights, and then pulls the motorist over, which is the first car in this mobile procession.
Meanwhile, the video shows the Murfreesboro police car, now with a free lane ahead, speeding on down I-40.
We call Public Information Officer, Don Aaron at the Metro Police Department.
Aaron says:
- The Metro Police car was a Special investigations Division drug interdiction unit.
- The motorist came up on the metro officer’s bumper at a high rate of speed, blowing by the undercover metro unit, at roughly 85 mph in a 70mph zone.
- The Metro Officer reports, that he didn’t even see the Murfreesboro squad car directly in front of him.
- These units primarily look for drug traffickers, Aaron says.
- After pulling the motorist over, the Metro Officer gave the motorist a warning for speeding and cited him for failure to change his address.
- Aaron says the motorist was clocked at 85 mph, prior to being pulled over.
We try numerous times to get Murfreesboro to comment on the story.
Kyle Evans, who is the Murfreesboro police department PIO issues me this statement:
Mr. Cordan:
This is in response to your email information request from 10/3/08. My responses are in black text. Also, per your request, I reconsidered your request for an on-camera interview and my decision not to grant that request still stands. If I may be of any further service, please don’t hesitate to call or email. Thank you.
Kyle Evans
Evans tells me the K-9 officer driving the vehicle did have a legitimate reason for being in Cheatham County on this day. Evans says he was on a training exercise.
We asked about past disciplinary issues with the officer, and Evans invited us to look at his personnel file.
We checked his personnel file. There are several commendations and at least one verbal reprimand. As it relates to speeding, we see no red flags.
A call to the department of safety indicates that the officer has had no driving infractions in the last 3 years.
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I, for one, am quite pleased to see our local news stations holding our government officials accountable for their actions. Whether it be speeding police officers, judges milking the system or politicians making back room deals, they are not above the law, they are not ” the ” law.
They are PAID PUBLIC SERVANTS that should have to answer to their boss (Us!) Keep up the good work. Naomi Bennett
PS. There are plenty of speeding policemen (on cell phones) and crooked judges in Dickson
I’m sure police officers do sometimes speed, just like the majority of the general public. Is it possible that a police officer sticks out more than regular Joe because they are driving a vehicle that looks like a Christmas tree on four wheels. As for Ms. Bennett’s comment, last time I checked driving while on the cell phone, while not recommended, is not against the law in the State Of Tennessee.
I know a few police officers (PAID PUBLIC SERVANTS) who have answered to their superiors by promptly paying for their traffic infractions.
P.S. People in glass houses…..
dear WKRN,
When I was in 2nd grade Justin Bruce came to my school in Manchester.Well I was wondering if I could have one of the guys at WKRN would come to my school again and teach my science class about the weather and how you learn how to predict it. I go to school in Coffee County at Coffee County Middle School.
sincerely,
Kyle Alford
Where to start?
First, even if the officer had a valid reason to be in Cheatham County that day, he still doesn’t have a valid reason to be speeding. Period.
Second, if he was first noted at MM188 and then tailed for 18 miles, staying “mostly between 86 and 91 miles per hour”, he was REALLY speeding as the speed limit drops down to 55 within those 18 miles. The second picture if the I40/White Bridge Road interchange (exit 204) where the speed limit is 55.
Third, if the unmarked copy never even noticed the marked police cruiser in front of him, then he needs to be in a different line of work. Police officers are supposed to be OBSERVANT - or maybe he’s just covering up for another member of the Thin Blue Line? (nah, THAT can’t be it…)
And Fourth, the police violate any laws they want because hey, who’s watching the watchers? Nobody.
Fire Kyle Evans
Police officers do what they want, when they want, and that’s messed up.
First off it is the negative attitudes of the public that bring down the community. The police have a very stressful job and serve the community to their best ability. Everyone speeds. If they didnt police would not have a job. Im sure they dont enjoy issuing citations. The outcome is public safety. I see a car fatality every single day on the news, mostly caused by speed. Officer’s have a duty to arrive on a call or a location in a timely manner and if speed is exceeded then it is due to an urgent matter. Give it up people, you need the police. Quit complaining. Or next time try and write one a ticket and see how that works out for you.
i am glad someone has brought this subject up.
i have noticed this for years,the public should be able to report any officer.
speeding while not in “hot pursuit” should not happen!!
i figured someone would get killed before somthing was done.
I don’t feel it happens to often. It’s bad enough when a Civil Servant hired by the people of the state, county or city, not on an emergency call, feel they can and sometimes do break the law. They should be cited and they should pay as anyone in the general public should.
But is it OK for a news service investigating the unlawful act, to break the same law, AND documenting their own actions on film, plus transmitting it to the public as proof ?
Could this be another “That Is Messed Up” ???
I can tell you there are a number of reasons police officers drive faster than the surrounding traffic. The number one reason is that almost all police forces are short staffed. In order to cover the area they are required to, they drive fast. If the alarm at your house had gone off because some one had broken in and was stealing from you. Would you want the responding officer to hurry, safely, or follow every speed law to the letter and arrive some 10-15 minutes later? Most thieves are gone in 5-10 minutes, as will be your belongings. This is just one of many examples. All officers frequently go through driver’s training in order to be able to quickly and safely respond to problems which may be endangering the public safety. The officer focused upon in this article/video clearly endangered no one’s life. When you limit law enforcement’s ability to function quickly, then you have NO complaint when they get there too late to help you. The THP officer that ticketed the officer in the video maybe saw an unsafe act he thought needed addressed. I will drive faster than the speed limit, but it for a reason of public safety, not a joy ride. We see the negative effects of speed when abused, but the highest percentage of sworn officers are extremely aware of their surroundings and the speed that can be safely used to accomplish the missions required of them by the public they are trying to serve and protect.
I like to drive five to ten over the speed limit. I don’t care if the cops are driving over the speed limit as long as they leave me alone. They are trained to drive fast so they should be able to handle it better than us regular joe’s. Besides, since I like to drive a little over the speed limit, how frustrating for me if I get caught behind a cop doing the speed limit. I don’t risk passing him because he might just give me a ticket. I would rather the officer just go on and get to where they need to be and get out of the way. But, that’s just me.
We all speed. Cops speed. Civilians speed. It’s like playing the lotto. Eventually you’ll get caught and have to pay the price.
Police cars are modified and for good reason–to catch people that think they’re Mario Andretti or Richard Petty.
MOST average people cannot drive worth a flip at regulated speeds much less at increased speeds and this is proven daily.
I am not intimidated by the Police, Sheriffs, or other such Constabulary.
I have passed Police cars in traffic lots of times as well as on Highways.
Most states have a allowance in place for say 5mph over the posted limit.
If/when a police cruiser passes me doing 30+ over the posted limit, I usually just watch as the vehicle disappears.
Same for when a non Police vehicle passes me as an accelerated speed.
If I were daily driving a modified vehicle, I could not merely do the speed limit either.
Police have a difficult job at best, so when they see a chance to “blow off some pressure”, who’s to say how they do it when they’re not presenting as a problem??
Go Jim Dandy!!
Perhaps this bit of fluff should have a different title. Something like “Video Reporter Breaks Laws In Recording Non-news”.
In recording this the reporter was not only speeding to keep up, but he was speeding while filming it with one hand (probably both hands at times). Does WKRN condone this?
The reporter had no clue as to where the Officer was going or why he was going there. The reporter was probably “ambulance chasing” to get a story he couldn’t sniff out on his own and then got ticked when the trail didn’t lead him to that headline news story.
Maybe Metro will view the tape and write him the tickets he earned while putting so many other motorists in danger as he recorded his scoop.
btw… your check engine light is on…
Metro police are the worlds worst speeding on non emergency
calls. In a meeting where our Chief was the guest speaker I asked this question his responce was to get the car number and turn them in. Right…. Every cop in metro would be after you.
If we can’t speed, then there is no reason for a cop to speed and put every one else in danger on the roads, is that not their saying!!
I would like for you to come to Fairview. I’ve seen plenty of time cops speeding down HWY 100 with their lights on, just so they can be first at McDonalds, Sir Pizza, Mexican, Flying J or the Shell going out of Fairview. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve seen them driving crazy, with their lights on just to start their lunch, or dinner.
No there was NO emergency!!!
They also like to meet their “cop friends” and drive fast down the road with their lights on, pull in and just sit there for hours watching the road talking to their friend!
Also, if their late for what ever reason trying to get back to the City Hall, They’ll put on their lights and speed right through Fairview, just to get there.
I’ve also seen this happen in Hickman Co. However it was a State that had his lights on and pulled right into Pizza Junction. Went in and ate!! Again there was no emergency!!!
If we can’t speed, there is no reason for them to get the right to!!
The Murfreesboro officer was speeding with no “reason” to do so, yet you did say he was on a training exercise. He possibly considered this a practice opportunity to run at high speed. I personally would rather see emergency vehicle operators practice running at high speed (a form of training)before they actually have the adrenaline-affected situation in an actual emergency. Just consider this part of his training. I followed an ambulance carrying my sister in an emergency situation three years ago, and I am thankful that the ambulance operator had excellent reflexes, evidently some practice driving sometime in his career, and got her to the hospital before she bled to death. My husband rode his bumper, and we know just how well he drove!
Where else do emergency vehicle drivers get to practice high speed driving except on a 70-miles-per-hour interstate? Remember, “Practice makes perfect”–or at least more proficient!
Good Job! These cops are in a “brotherhood” and the reason this cop (doing 90 mph) did not get a ticket is because of the brotherhood. You reported that he had a clean record…You know that if he is off duty and gets pulled over for speeding, all he has to do is show his badge and he is off! So, of course his record is clean.
What I want to know is what is the Murfreesboro police department going to do with this wreckless driving. You have it documented and they know who the cop was. To be frank, this !@## me off.
I just wanted to say that I and thousands more appreciate what you are doing. Please keep up the good work!
Kevin,
TN
Saw your piece on the speeding cops. Thought I would let you know about 4 or
five years ago I went to internal affairs to report a police officer that
had gotten on Stewerts Ferry Pike 40W onramp, and crossed 4 lanes of
traffic without giving a turn signal. After identifing the officer in a
photo lineup, they had some investigation. They called me a couple of
times. Finally the cited some ‘page 403′ in the Tennessee driving laws that
said something to the effect that unless you were making a turn to an
adjacent street, or there were other cars ‘close’ that a signal wasn’t
required. He could niether provide, the book, a facimilie, or tell me where
to obtain a copy. I did get the publishers name, but decided to just give
up.
I see police driving poorly all the time. Speeding, tailgating, no turn
signal.
One day when the ‘flex’ squad was pulling over everything in sight, a cop
passed me going the opposite direction, and tweaked his siren at me as I
passed, as if he was about to pull me over for speeding. I was going 36 in
a 45
Thanks Andy for keeping them honest.
On the fourth of July the kids in my neighborhood were lighting fireworks. A
cop came through and on his loud speaker said there could be no fireworks in
city limits. He sped past the kids. He started to come flying up the hill
doing at least 40. My husband stood in the street to stop him. The cop
rolled down his window and said “what.”
My husband said “Do you know we have a speed limit here?”
The cop said “Guess what I was going 20.” He then gassed it and drove out
of the neighborhood.
That’s messed up!
My sixteen year ols grandson and I were riding (I was driving) on Pugh road
going to visit my daughter and a metro police car, driving at a high rate
of speed and on my side of the road, ran me off the road into the ditch.
There was no flashing light and the car did not stop to see if we were
injured. This happened in daylight on a curvy road which is known to have
deer present most of the time in spring. Aweek ago a metro car almost ran
into me d/t the officer looking for something in the seat (he was bent
over) and he crossed into my lane. I was going 70,the speed limit, and he
quickly was oout of sight. No flashing lights.
I’m curious doesn’t your station have anything better to do then post this
article. Do you KNOW why this Officer was speeding until News 2 knows for
sure then this nothing but poor reporting on That’s Messed Ups part. Don’t
get me wrong I use to think that That’s Messed Up was a good program, well
up until now. I am seriously thinking about changing the news I watch.
Shame on News 2 for this I hope your life never depends on soneone driving
any Emergency Vehicle. SHAME SHAME on News 2 for this. By the way you had a
THP Officer pulling a Police Officer over for speeding why don’t you watch
them for speeding. SHAME on News 2 for this your News reporting on this is
digusting
andy:
i wish your crew would set up in mount juliet, i get passed almost everyday by either a mount juliet officer or a wilson county officer going at least 10 to 20 miles over the speed limit, and when i get down the road, on several occasions ive seen that same officer sitting in a mapco, or a mcdonalds, did’nt know hunger was an emergency,
For Officer Lantz and the others who feel that, since the police have had some training on driving fast, they can speed with impunity:
I learned how to drive in Germany, where there is no speed limit on much of the Autobahn. Since I have far more experience and training in high-speed driving than any police officer in Tennessee, I guess I should be able to drive as fast as I want? Should I tell the police the next time I get pulled over for speeding that I’m trained to drive fast, that he’ll let me go? I’m sure you’ll agree - NOT.
The fact of the matter is, unless a police officer is responding to an emergency call he has NO reason to speed - NONE. You can try to make the “they have reasons to speed” and “they’re trained to drive fast” but it all still boils down to right and wrong - and a speeding cop with no lights on is WRONG - PERIOD.
People,
The police do a job that most people would never do. I believe that there are certain privelages that come with the job, one of which is not answereing to John Q. Public. Who knows why that police car was speeding and who cares. Lets not forget that police officers have special training that allow them to drive at a higher rate of speed safely. Probably much safer that the civilian who is playing with the radio, stuffing his face or do doing God knows what people do when they drive. I guess my point is, go on a couple calls, get shot at, get spit on by a person with communicable diseases and then you will have the right to say “that’s messed up.”
I know why sometimes police speed.It could be that they are like everyone else in this country they are short handed.I know it if 1 officer leaves the county to take a prisoner to another county it leaves 1 officer to work alone.So they have to get there and back as fast as possible.How would you like to go on a domestic alone or a shooting by your self.Every one is not like metro and have fifthteen hundred officers.Some only have 4 or 5,most of the time there is only 1 officer to a shift.Sojust think about it next time you see a police car from another police department speeding he maybe tring to get back to help the public where he is from.It maybe someone is needing help but the 1 officer is on a call and his help is on the side of the road getting a speeding ticket. Just someting to think about next time you see a speeding police officer.
[...] Harold: I know why sometimes police speed.It could be that they are like everyone else in this country they are short… [...]
I think that any government official who has authority vested in them by the public should be held to a higher standard than the rest of society. Police officers are no different. I am from Murfreesboro and have seen many officers here in Murfreesboro break other laws similar to the situation at hand. If I have to obey the traffic laws, then EVERYONE has to obey the traffic laws. I’m glad that the THP has started to give speeding tickets to speeding officers. For once, justice seems to be fair.
I am a Deputy Sheriff in TN and would like to elaborate somewhat on my perspective and personal experience regarding the public’s perception of officer speeding. First of all, be careful of what you ask for, you just might just get it. Realize, that the majority of our calls do not mandate the use of lights and sirens; this includes 9-1-1 hang-ups, residential/business alarms, home panic alarms, most domestics, majority of automobile accidents, and many other calls that most people would consider having the “potential” of endangerment to their life and/or property.
So my question to the public is this; do you REALLY want us to drive to the letter of the law (I.E. Speed Limit) if you or your loved one was in involved in a life threatening situation and dialed 9-1-1 but were unable to speak (choking, heart-attack, etc)…or if someone was breaking into your house activating your alarm…or how about if your child were being threatened by someone who invaded your home and your child activated the panic alarm as they were properly instructed to do…??? It may surprise you, but these are not lights and siren responses in my county! And what about situations where an officer is out of their zone because they responded to another emergency in another officer’s zone (I.E. backing up another officer), would you want that officer to casually stroll back to his regular patrol zone while your loved one began to have a life threatening emergency?? Keep in mind that many counties only have one officer that patrols a hundred square mile area. THP is even more thinned out, one Trooper may have to cover several counties.
These questions and real life scenarios can go on and on. Many in the general public have no idea what we as officers have to contend with. And these examples are only a small glimpse into the looking-glass of what we have to take into consideration. Take a walk in our shoes before being so quick to judge us and our actions. A situation that you may only experience once or twice in a lifetime, we have to deal with once, twice, or more per shift! In addition, many non-life threatening situations (when initially called in), can quickly become life-threatening while we are in route to them. Minutes, and sometimes seconds, are literally the difference between life or death. In some situations, it could literally take half an hour for the first officer to reach a victim on a 9-1-1 hang-up, then add additional response time for EMS to arrive - because in this situation, we have to initiate the request for EMS AFTER we evaluate the victim’s situation/emergency.
Currently, even though we are not authorized to run emergency traffic to these examples, we will drive to them with urgency (with prudence and public safety in mind) for YOUR BENEFIT. If you think about it, we are paid by the hour, so what’s in it for us personally to speed getting to your location?? After all, the slower I drive, the less calls and paperwork I end up having to do by the end of a shift. I became an officer to help save lives, protect & serve, etc. This means I have an obligation to do everything necessary to ensure I do just that. However so typical, the public continues to make this job a lose-lose situation for its officers. Either our response time isn’t fast enough for your potential emergency, or we’re perceived as driving too fast when passing you to get to someone else’s potential emergency. So we’re scrutinized by all sides, “why did it take so long for you to arrive??” or “why were you driving so fast??”
Society can’t have it both ways. Look at it from the perspective of which is the greater good for society. Forcing officers to reduce critical response time is NOT it, because response time will always be inversely proportional to the speed driven to get there. I just wish someone in the media would cover a story on how the police actually improve your quality of life as opposed to taking away from it. Therefore, “THAT’S MESSED UP”, so give us a break!
Best Regards,
VC
Deputy Sheriff
I believe that the police have duty to act, and a stress filled job to conduct. If you have never worked as a police officer or in the pulblic service field, you have no opinion!!! If you want to have an opinion fill out an application and become an officer.
Thanks for the input, Matt. Let’s extend that some more.
If you’ve never been President, you have no opinion!!!! Don’t DARE criticize a decision by the President!
If you’ve never been a Senator, you have no opinion!!!! Your opinion of how the state is run is NULL AND VOID!
If you’ve never been a Doctor, you have no opinion!!!! Don’t even THINK of filing a malpractice lawsuit!
If you’ve never been a murderer, you have no opinion!!!! Don’t JUDGE criminals unless you’ve been one yourself!
Gee, sounds pretty lame, doesn’t it Matt? If you don’t accept all four of these statements, then you’ll easily see how your “stress filled job” comment shouldn’t be accepted as well.
Police cars speeding is definitelt an issue, however you should come to Mount Juliet, Tennessee, where you can get a ticket for (DWB)driving while black. I think that it is absolutely obsurd that when you enter the traffic court and there is only minorities in court. I also witnesses a woman who was following her husband home from purchasing a new motorcycle, and her husband was pulled over, she stopped and recieved a ticket. She was notg even the one that was pulled over. Several of the ticketees are young black or hispanic boys who are being targeted. My husband was recently pulled over and ticketed for having a license plate cover, nwhich by the was is legal. I am african american and have lived in Mt.Juliet for 8 years and the police department has not changed a bit, I always tell my children if they are ever pulled over in Mt. Juliet to always call me and ave me listen to what the police are saying. I wish the MJPD would stop targeting minorities
Lets face it, do we really care police officers are speeding? Do we all go ONLY the speed limit when we drive? I doubt it. Matter of fact Im sure of it! Who drives the speed limit?? We all go a few miles over, some more then others. Leave the officer alone!!
We should worry more about the unmarked car that travels mostly between Nashville and Smyrna, waits for a speeding car to pass him, then gets on his bumper to get him to go faster to get out of the way, THEN blue lights him. Should we be fighting that? We “think” we do the right thing by speeding up to get out of someones way, then get a ticket for going even faster. But the officers DO tailgate you, before they give you a citation. I thought tailgating was illegal. How long are we going to allow this dangerous game of tailgating to go on before the officers hurt someone?
I have seen this happen myself in person on more then one occasion. I have also been victim of this same officer, who tail gated me, but gave me a ticket for tail gating when I got into a wrong lane then jumped back into the lane I needed to be in, and obviously did not get far enough back from the car in front of me in time. By the way, this “officer” happens to be a short guy, is it me, or do short men have hugh ego’s? Im thinking short men should not be allowed to be officers. I think they “think” the uniform make them grow.
Anyway, my next question…or comment? If we have “city” police officers, why are they on our “federal” highways setting up radar? I can say I have never seen a “city” officer on the highway, other then in Mount Juliet. Is this legal? Can they do that?